Steering equipment for assisting a driver to steer an automobile is well known in the art. In conventional steering assemblies, the operator controls the direction of the vehicle with the aid of a steering wheel. This wheel is mechanically connected, usually through a gear assembly to the road wheels. To aid the operator, many systems utilize an auxiliary system to generate a force that is transmitted to a steering gear assembly. The additional force reduces the effort required by the operator in changing the direction of the vehicle. Typically, this auxiliary force is generated by either a hydraulic drive or an electric motor.
Furthermore, electric power steering systems can utilize knowledge of travel limits of the steering system in order to reduce thermal loads and mechanical loads, as well as to determine a center position of the steering system. However, the limit values are typically unique to each vehicle and can be asymmetrical, thereby making it difficult to use apriori calibrations to set the limits.
Therefore, is it considered advantageous to provide a steering control system that provides steering travel limit determination.